FIRST TPHC Trail Ride

Well, the first TPHC trail ride was a great success with 22 riders showing and the sun shining brightly! Perfect weather and a perfect ride!

Sharon Stewart of Kerry Kroft farms started our day by picking us up from Winterwood. Loading Chelsea on the trailer went with ease, she was a pro! We then drove off way in the back of some sandy trails at Echo Lake located in Earlton Ontario. Perfect ground for riding back there, mostly beach sand.

We all gathered at an area at first to tack up and get ready to go. Chelsea was a real trooper getting off the trailer and getting ready to go. I am sure she could sense my excitement being my first trail ride with the group. I had been looking forward to this ride since last year at this time, but was unable to go then since my mare had a filly by her side. It sure was worth the wait.

Once we were all tacked up and ready to go, we were off! The weather couldn't have been any better. With the cold and snow we had two days before I was concerned on what today would be like. It was perfect, not too hot, not too cold and best of all, no bugs to irritate the horses.

So we headed off onto the trails. Chelsea not knowing any of the horses there looked for an area she was most comfortable in. I had planned on riding at the back of the group, but she wouldn't have it. It turned out she wasn't content till we were at the head of the group with the lead horses. She spent pretty well the entire ride at a constant trot worried about being left behind.

At one point we rode up to the lake to let the horses drink. Chelsea had no interest in water. I suddenly developed a bad calf cramp and had to dismount for a bit. Bad idea, getting back onto Chelsea was more then a challenge, but we prevailed. Then onward and upward on this hill with thick sand and back onto the trails we went.

Towards the end coming back to where we were all parked, I couldn't resist the urge to let Chelsea go so we did a great run between a canter and a gallop. Boy does one need to be in shape riding at those speeds!

So back to the start, we untack our horses, water and clean them down then gather up together to eat some lunch and talk about our ride.

Below is just a few more photos of this great ride! The next one is May 21 at Cougar Ridge Farms in Thornloe Ontario. See you all there!